The Children’s Book Review | July 28, 2014
By Jennifer Mathieu
Age Range: 14 and up
Paperback: 199 pages
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (June 3, 2014)
ISBN: 978-1-596-43909-2
What to expect: High School, Small Town, Scandal, Rumors, Summer
Alice Franklin is the talk of the town. Did you know she slept with two guys at one party this summer? And if that wasn’t enough, she then went and got star quarterback Brandon Fitzsimmons killed in a car accident by sending him dirty text messages. It’s true. Ask anyone. It’s written all over the bathroom stall at Healy High School, too.
The scandal is all anyone can talk about in the small town of Healy. As the rumors begin to spiral out of control, four Healy High School students – the resident weirdo (and school genius), Alice’s former best friend, the car accident survivor, and the most popular girl in school, who held the infamous party – tell all they know. But when everyone’s got a different story to tell, in the end there’s only one thing to do: get the story from Alice herself.
Jennifer Mathieu’s debut novel, The Truth About Alice, portrays the all-too-real drama, gossip, and fickleness of High School life. Each character navigates the minefields of their own lives, dealing with secrets and anxieties, as well as revealing their part in the one big story of the summer. Mathieu has done a stellar job of capturing the minds and voices of these convincing teenagers, so much so that you feel as if you’re standing by their High School lockers, trading gossip. There are no sides to take as the secrets unravel and the truth(s) come out: each persuasive voice will leave you rooting for them, as much as for Alice. As for Alice, despite only owning a succinct chapter at the end of this novel, her character is masterfully weaved into the story throughout so that you feel you know her, better than each of her peers think they do, before you even hear her own story.
An entirely authentic portrayal of the damage and scandal that a little lie can do when it goes from mouth to mouth, The Truth About Alice is a can’t-stop-turning-the-pages read that will have you wanting to know just what really went down that summer.
Add this book to your collection: The Truth About Alice
About the Author
Jennifer Mathieu is a young adult novel writer and an English teacher who lives in Texas with her family. A native of the East Coast and a former journalist, she enjoys writing contemporary young adult fiction that treats teenagers like real people. She loves to eat and hates to cook. For more fun facts, visit: www.jennifermathieu.com.
The Truth About Alice, by Jennifer Mathieu, was reviewed by Charlie Kennedy. Follow along with our Young Adult Books category to discover more great novels.